Extendible clothes hanger

ABSTRACT

An extendable clothes hanger includes a base and two symmetric brace members. The base includes a hanging hook and an outer surface forming successive corrugation to serve as a skidding prevention structure. The base forms therein an elongate channel. Each brace member includes a bar, which has an end extending through a stop plate and is fixed to a curved end claw that is rotatable to be set at different angular position and an opposite end movably received in the channel of the base. The stop plate is then mounted to an end of the base to thereby complete the hanger. The bars of the brace members are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel of the base to adjust a distance between the base and each end claw so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an extendible clothes hanger, and more particularly to an extendible clothes hanger of which the overall length is adjustable through simple pulling so as to be fit for hanging clothes of various sizes.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A clothes hanger is often made of plastics or wood and comprises a support section and a hanging hook mounted to the support section. Clothes can be positioned on and retained by the support section and the hanging hook may be positioned on and engage a rack or hanging bar inside a clothes closet or any other suitable sites. The conventional clothes hanger is of a fixed size and the length of the hanger cannot be adjusted to be fit for clothes of different sizes. Thus, for clothes of different sizes, such as clothes for children, men, or women, hangers of various sizes must be used, otherwise clothes held on hangers of improper sizes may get distorted or deformation. This causes an undesired economic burden to the general consumers. In view of this problem, the present invention aims to provide an extendible clothes hanger that overcomes the size problem of the conventional clothes hangers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an extendible clothes hanger, which is extended through outward pulling to change the size thereof so as to allow a hanger to be fit for clothes of various sizes and make the use of the hanger easy and convenient.

The extendable clothes hanger of the present invention comprises a base and two symmetric brace members, wherein the base comprises a hanging hook and an outer surface forming successive corrugation to serve as a skidding prevention structure. The base forms therein an elongate channel. Each of the brace members comprises a bar, which has an end extending through a stop plate and is fixed to a curved end claw that is rotatable to be set at different angular position and an opposite end movably received in the channel of the base. The stop plate is then mounted to an end of the base to thereby complete the hanger. The bars of the brace members are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel of the base to adjust a distance between the base and each end claw so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.

In the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention, the bars of the brace members have a cross-sectional shape of ellipse, rectangle, or triangle and the channel of the base has a corresponding cross-section to allow the bars to slide therein.

In the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention, each of the end claws comprises a coupler section that is coupled to the respective bar and a bend section connected to the coupler section with a pin, whereby the bend section is rotatable about the pin to point downward for hanging clothes or to point upwards for suspending neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the extendible clothes hanger of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views showing an end claw of the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, which are respectively a perspective view and an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, and also reading FIGS. 3 and 4, which are schematic views showing the structure of an end claw of the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the present invention comprises a base 1, two symmetrically arranged brace members 2, and two end claws 3 respectively corresponding to the brace members 2. In the instant embodiment, the base 1 has a top having a central portion on which a hanging hook 11 is mounted. The base 1 has an outer surface on which a skidding prevention structure 12 comprising successive corrugation is formed. The base 1 also forms an elongate channel 13 therein.

Each of the brace members 2 comprises a bar 21, which in the instant embodiment is formed by bending a length of wire, such as a steel wire, to form two symmetric and opposite branches 211, which are connected to each other at one end by the bent portion of the wire. The bent portion also serves as a stop. An opposite end of the branches 211 is open of which tips of the bent wire are received in through holes 221 defined in a stop plate 22 to be fixed to the respective end claw 3.

Each of the end claws 3 comprises a coupler section 31 that is coupled to the respective bar 21 and a bend section 32 that is connected to the coupler section 31 with a pin 321, whereby the bend section 32 is rotatable about the pin 321 to selectively set at different angular position.

To assemble the above discussed components, the bent ends of the bars 21 are respectively fit into the channel 13 of the base 1 from the opposite ends of the base 1, and the stop plates 22 are respectively mounted to the ends of the base 1 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel 13 of the base 1 to adjust the distance between the base 1 and the end claws 3. The bent ends of the brace members 2 may engage the stop plates 22 to prevent the bar 21 from detaching from the base 1. In this way, the overall length of the hanger can be adjusted as desired to fit for clothes of various sizes. The skidding prevention structure 12 prevents the clothes from sliding with respect to the hanger. Further, the bend section 32 of each end claw 3 can be rotated about the pin 321 to point downward for hanging clothes, or can be rotated upward to suspend neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories.

Referring to FIG. 5, which shows an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1, which has a top having a central portion on which a hanging hook 11 is mounted. The base 1 has an outer surface on which a skidding prevention structure 12 comprising successive corrugation is formed. The base 1 also forms an elongate channel 13 therein, and in the instant embodiment, the channel 13 has an elliptic cross-section.

Each of the brace members 2 comprises a bar 21, which has an elliptic cross-section corresponding to that of the channel 13 of the base 1. The bar 21 has an end forming an end flange 23 that is expanded and greater in size than the bar 21, whereby the end flange 23 may serve as a stop. An opposite end of the bar 21 is received in a through hole 221 defined in a stop plate 22 to be fixed to a respective end claw 3.

Each of the end claws 3 comprises a coupler section 31 that is coupled to the respective bar 2 and a bend section 32 that is connected to the coupler section 31 with a pin 321, whereby the bend section 32 is rotatable about the pin 321 to selectively set at different angular position.

To assemble the above discussed components, the end flanges 23 of the bars 21 are respectively fit into the channel 13 of the base 1 from the opposite ends of the base 1, and the stop plates 22 are respectively mounted to the ends of the base 1 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel 13 of the base 1 to adjust the distance between the base 1 and the end claws 3. The end flanges 23 of the brace members 2 may engage the stop plates 22 to prevent the bars 21 from detaching from the base 1. In this way, the overall length of the hanger can be adjusted as desired to fit for clothes of various sizes.

Referring to FIG. 6, which shows an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the third embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1, which forms an elongate channel 13 therein, and in the instant embodiment, the channel 13 has a rectangular cross-section. Two brace members 2 are movably receivable in the channel 13 and have a rectangular cross-section corresponding to that of the channel 13 of the base 1. Each brace member 2 comprises a bar 21, which has an end forming an end flange 23 that is expanded and greater in size than the bar 21, whereby the end flange 23 may serve as a stop. An opposite end of the bar 21 is received in a through hole 221 defined in a stop plate 22 to be fixed to a respective end claw 3.

To assemble the above discussed components, the end flanges 23 of the bars 21 are respectively fit into the channel 13 of the base 1 from the opposite ends of the base 1, and the stop plates 22 are respectively mounted to the ends of the base 1 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel 13 of the base 1 to adjust the distance between the base 1 and the end claws 3. The end flanges 23 of the brace members 2 may engage the stop plates 22 to prevent the bars 21 from detaching from the base 1. In this way, the overall length of the hanger can be adjusted as desired to fit for clothes of various sizes.

Referring to FIG. 7, which shows an exploded view of an extendible clothes hanger constructed in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the extendible clothes hanger of the fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1, which forms an elongate channel 13 therein, and in the instant embodiment, the channel 13 has a triangular cross-section. Two brace members 2 are movably receivable in the channel 13 and have a triangular cross-section corresponding to that of the channel 13 of the base 1. Each brace member 2 comprises a bar 21, which has an end forming an end flange 23 that is expanded and greater in size than the bar 21, whereby the end flange 23 may serve as a stop. An opposite end of the bar 21 is received in a through hole 221 defined in a stop plate 22 to be fixed to a respective end claw 3.

To assemble the above discussed components, the end flanges 23 of the bars 21 are respectively fit into the channel 13 of the base 1 from the opposite ends of the base 1, and the stop plates 22 are respectively mounted to the ends of the base 1 so as to complete the assembling of the hanger. The bars 21 of the brace members 2 are extendible out of and/or retractable into the channel 13 of the base 1 to adjust the distance between the base 1 and the end claws 3. The end flanges 23 of the brace members 2 may engage the stop plates 22 to prevent the bars 21 from detaching from the base 1. In this way, the overall length of the hanger can be adjusted as desired to fit for clothes of various sizes.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. An extendible clothes hanger, comprising: a base, which has a top having a central portion on which a hanging hook is mounted, the base forming an elongate channel therein; two brace members, each of which comprises a bar, which has an end extending through a stop plate; and two end claws, each of which comprises a coupler section that is coupled to the end of the respective bar and a bend section connected to the coupler section; wherein the bar has an opposite end movably received in the channel of the base, and the stop plate is mounted to an end of the base to form the hanger, and wherein the bars of the brace members are extendible out of and retractable into the channel of the base to adjust a distance between the base and each of the end claws so as to realize adjustment of length of the hanger for hanging clothes of various sizes.
 2. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the base has an outer surface on which a skidding prevention structure comprising successive corrugation is formed to prevent clothes hung on the hanger from undesired skidding.
 3. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the bend section of each of the end claws is connected to the coupler section with a pin, so that the bend section is rotatable about the pin to be selectively set at different angular position, whereby when the bend section of the end claw is rotated to point downward, clothes can be hung on the hanger and when the bend section is rotated to point upward, neck ties, waist belts, or scarf or other garment accessories can be suspended on the hanger.
 4. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the bar of each of the brace members is formed by bending an elongate wire to form two symmetric and opposite branches having one end connected by a bent portion that serve as a stop.
 5. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 1, wherein the bars of the brace members have a cross-sectional shape of ellipse, rectangle, or triangle and wherein the channel of the base has a corresponding cross-section to allow the bars to slide therein.
 6. The extendible clothes hanger according to claim 4, wherein the bars of the brace members have an end that is expanded to form an end flange that is greater in size than the bar to serve as a stop. 